September 10, 2007

Here is AAI guide Mark Johnson's final dispatch from Bolivia:

Hello everyone,

Here is the final update from Bolivia. After we tucked ourselves into our sleeping bags at 6pm in the upper refugio on Huayna Potosi last night, a thunderstorm with lots of lightening came through around 8pm and set off a wave of graupel that sounded like a good southern downpour on the refugio roof! At some point it changed to snow, and that continued throughout the night. Just before our 1am wake-up call, I went out to find several inches of fresh snow, and it was still snowing. Considering the poor conditions, new accumulation, and evidence of an avalanche that I saw yesterday, I made the decision not to go for the summit and let everyone know that they could stay in bed and sleep.

The refugio was full of other climbers, and only one group decided to try to go up. Around 2am the wind really started to blow, and I was very happy with the decision I made. The team that did go made it about 800 vertical feet before being turned back by very deep snow and high winds.

This morning, we had a breakfast of oatmeal before leaving the refugio. It was very windy and VERY cold at the refugio, and descending the talus with several inches of snow proved very tricky. Within a couple of hours we made it back to Zongo Pass, where the bus picked us up at 11:30am. We were back at the hotel in the heart of La Paz by 2pm. We are planning a final dinner and celebration tonight, and most folks are flying out in the early morning.

It has been a great trip, though certainly governed by the ending of the normally clear "winter" weather and the inconvenience of thunderstorms and snow. This has certainly been the strangest September I have ever experienced. It's normally good weather and great conditions. The locals are also shaking their heads at the new snow. Next week is supposed to be good weather, so perhaps this was just a large, abnormal storm system that blew through rather than being something that's part of a bigger pattern.

It has certainly been a learning experience for the team, seeing how to adapt the climbing plans to the weather patterns and how much patience is required when the weather is simply not cooperating. All things considered, we did well with our ascents and certainly were extremely successful finding deep enjoyment being out in these beautiful mountains and rising to their challenges. That's what it is really all about anyway.

A big "Thank you" goes out to the climbers: Bill, Brian, Susan, Jack, and Allan, and also to the "Pinaya Staff" (Juan, Martin, and Felix) for making this another great adventure in Bolivia. See you next season!

In La Paz,

Mark